Auto-top.



F. RCHARD L T. B. RITCHIE. ,m0 oP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. R917.

Patented Dec. 3Ll98.

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` F. RICHARD &,T. B. RITCHJE.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

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i Verrerie LLL killin Q AUTO-TOP.

lngs on Application filed cbruary 3. i917.

'1 o o23 @017mm may concer/n:

3e it known that we` Ennio/ors Ric/imno, a

citizen et the French Republic. and THOMAS his invention is associatedwith an auto-- inooiie to] end more particulariy with a top of thesingle supporting" how type-indeed it may he styled a single hoy topbecause road-- iiy manipulated hy one immature person.

@ur object has heen to contrive a structure of the character statedwhich Will he iight in Weight yet sniiioientiy strong enti rigid, whichwill permit oi being' adjusted to he' come neatly strot-cheri and whichWili afford a. minimum oi obstruction of the vision of persons seetecithereheneath.

With the foregoing anc. other objects in View the vinvention consists ofthe novei construction, combination and arrangement or parts eshereinafter more specifically de scribed and iliustrateci in theaccompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention.hut it is to he understood.

l that changes, variations and modifications can he resorted to whichcome Within the scope ot the claims hereunto appended.

Averting to the drs'wingst Figure i is s sie elevation of the upper portof an eutomohile body equipped to support a top partly dotted embodyingourv invention.

Fig. H is e top plan of the top by itself certain underlying partsappearing in dotted lines.

Fig. Hi is a rear eieif'ation of Fig. Fig. 'iV is a lsection on linePif-TV of Fiori.

portion is an enlarged detail o certain i Jated portions of Fig. if?.

.-f. Jil is an eniargeti detail showing the 'ront or Win61 shieldattachment.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

fiorini No.

views o' on zicijustahie strap for securing the supporting hon' at therear, seen roni rear and side. f

Fig. X illustrates one specific detail.

The Fig. it inthe drawings iliustrstes upper portion ot a touring hodylwhich has surinounted over its cowl e conventional type of Wind shield 2provided et either side witha socket 3 and a transversely inserted.knuried set screwe, the ietter arrangement beingy more ciearlyy shownin VH. Pivoted to the top oi' the traine on each side of the seat at 5is s. supporting; how how is or" strong znetailic structure emi. essumes the rearwardlj.' ohiiqne position seen in Fig. it when the top isin its raised. or functionating position. it Wiii he noticed that Aitsangle ci' ohiiquity may he about forty-iive degrees in which posit-ionit oiers no obstruction to the forward nor even the latteriy directedvision ot the hinciinost occupants of the cer. Near its upper angles thehow 6 is provided on each side of the vehicle with :in eyelet clamp iand intermediateiy oi the two eyelets 'i are iive equispaceci downwarddirecteci eyelets 8 mor cleariy to he seen in Figs. iii anti Y The topproper is a composite structure which eccorfi'inca to our invention is'iree from lone-itudinaily extending rigidity hec/anse reiying solelyupon suspension cables. '.llhe structure inoiudes in iront a Woodenloiocir 9 carrying on opposite ends a stnci i0 adapts ed. to he insertedin the sockets 3 anti secure@ therein by tightening the screws 1i. Theconstruction of the top furthermore comprises o series and in theenenpiificetion src shown four suspende cross hows i1. Connecting,

the supporting how 6 with the loiock 9 smi with each of the cross howsl1 are e series of cables some of which are affixed to the cross bows i1and others of which are movehle thereacross. pair of Cabic lengths 12conneet the eyelets 7 with corresponding ends oir the cross bows llrespectively to each of which iatter they are ined ov suitable clamps 13as may he seen in Fig. if. A pair of conrplernentar?,7 cahie iengtiis Madditionaiiy connect the angles or corners of the how 6 with each oitthe cross hows ii necessarily somewhat higher no, n :tact a line whichconverges :i forward tion tenerci the line the to meet' around a sheave.The cables 14C-are also fixed to each of the cross bows 11 by means of adifferent type of clamp 15 as is alsovapparent from inspection of Fig.V. The forward pairs of ends of the cables12 and 14 are attached. to theturnbuckle 16 which is in turn secured in any approved manner to therear side ot the block 9. By means of the turnbuckle 16 the cables 12and 14 .may be tightened prior to tightening of the clamps 13 and l5preparatory to a final proper spacing and set-up of the whole in -orderto insure of a uniform distribution of the stresses to be laterencountered. Connected with the substantially horizontal upper portionoi the supporting bow 6 near or at the three points where the eyelets 8are aiixed are three longitudinal extending cables 1 7 each of which ismovable in a metallic groove 18 formed in a plate to be secured to thebow ti as is 'clearly shown in Fig. Vl. The cables 17 extend in a nearlyparallel direction acrossv each of the cross bows l1 and are looselyconfined relatively thereto by clamps 1 9 as may be seen in Fig. V. Theforward ends of the cables 1T are fixed in any approved manner to theblock 9.

flverlying all the bows and cableslis a waterproof covering 20 having arear downward extension 21 which may be attached to the body by claspbuttons or otherwise.

'Underneath the covering 20 is an oblique net work cross-bracing 22. Toassist in effecting a neat, uniformly. taut relationship of the severalparts means are provided for counter adjusting' the permanent positionto be assumed by the supporting bow 6 when elevated, which meansconsists here of three straps 23 and three buckles 211- which adjustablyconnect the eyelets 8 with three snap hooks 25 adapted to engage witheyelets 26'fixed to the rearmost top of the vehicle body.

As is apparent the cooperation of the cables some of which coact toproperly space and maintain the cross-bracing operates to insure asufficiently stili yet somewhat yielding top so that while the whole isprecluded from sagging due to what resembles the cantaliver principle ofsupport it is never- 'theless capable of lyielding to a severe andcontinuous vibration to which it is likely to become subjected. ln someinstances it may be desirable to lend additional support by means of apair of rods 27 one of which is shown in dotted lines in itsfunctionating position in Fig. l. vSuch rods may be pivoted nearopposite ends of that-one of the bows 11 which is above the back of thefront scat and thereby enable it to be swung down and secured in anysuitable manner to -v the car body.

We elaim': 1. An automobile top comprising a single bow pivoted to therear ot the body of the aaeaaea vehicle and adapted to adord support atthe rear, a composite structure adapted to extend between the free endof said bow and the conventional wind shield, said structure including;a rigid front block, adapted for attachment to said shield cablesextending between said block and bow and means for tightening saidcables.

2. An automobile top comprising a bow pivoted to the body of the vehicleand adapted to afford support -at the rear, a composite structureincluding a series of cross .bows and a covering, the-whole adapted toextend between the free end of said bow and thc c nventional windshield, said structure including lateral pairs of cables extending fromend to end, and means for simultaneously tightening the cables ,of eachpair.

3. 'An automobile top comprising a bow pivoted to the body of thevehlcle and adapted to afford support at the rear, a

composite structure adapted to extend between the free end of said bowand the conventional wind shield including a series of spaced crossbows, said structure including cables secured tocach cross bow andextending from end to end, oblique braces, a covering, and means fortightening said cables whereby to space and stiften the whole.

d. An automobile top adapted to be supported vat only one end on thecantaliver principle and eemprising a rear bow, a rigid front block., aseries of longitudinally extending lcables between said bow and block,

cross bracing connecting said cables, a coverfor simultaneouslytightening distinct pairs of said cables.

6. An automobile top adapted to be supported at each end and comprisinga series of longitudinally extending cables, cross bows fixed to some ofsaid cables, a covering for bows and cables, means for tightening all ofsaidcables, and distinct means for tightening such of vsaid cables asare fixed to said cross bows.

' An automobile top ada ted to be supported between a firm wint shieldin front and a movable supporting bow in the rear and comprising aseries of longitudinally extending cables, suspended cross bowsconnected with said cables, a covering for bows and cables, means foradjusting the position of said supporting bow whereby to tighten all ofsaid cables and means for tightening liti@ immo@ oiiiin of Huid @nbiasby hemselves am iriespfsctiw of iii@ position of smid supporting Dow. i

zu ziilomobile top :uinpod to bo slippoi'ofi botwoeii :i firm windshield in 'front :ind u movable supporting bow iii thv vom' undcoiiipisiug u soi'io of iongiudimiiiy @monding subies, suspended Crossbows ixod to said @bieba oovoring for bows :imi cambios, ixiezms fox'tigiiieimlg :iii of Suid cui) es yogetiioi, zuid distinct' menus foriighoniug oher sabios sepiimtoiy.

i?. fue :iuoiriobiie op coiiiprifeing tho comn iiinzii'ioii Wh :iViriiciv body, of :L single Siippoiing bow pivovii noni 'he Your ondiioiooi :uid a foiwvziiwiiy piojociing strucuio ahlciioxli to iw fi'oni':imi Pour of Said iiody and @Houding ovm' said bow, said 'nuouroiiicimiiiig; longitudimiiiy exteii i- 'ff {uibk-S, crow hows: holdingSuid cables in si): d loiziiom :1mi m1011115 for @Floating u spznmwiiiirie'ia'm of fix@ partis whfioby iio miiziivor principio of singin.point suppol', iiiieci,

-i An zuioiiiobiie iop oompiising a bow pivotod fo iii@ :iiiomobiioood); ami adapten io afford adjnsiybe support mb the thereof; ooompos'i'e iii@ middle portion extend bevweou bow and the conventionaiwind, from. of the automobile bod", inciudinff; a rigid Eifoiit Mock;Galileo holding oiiwoon said block :vinci pivoeci bow, ciosS bowssusmmiod from sind ivugviod to space apart Said cabin-S, .mid bows;being fixed to some. of said cubios ami loosely Jonuected with othersthereof, und moans for adjusting Said bows raiztivo to sind biooi:whereby to acjust said suspended bows Feloivo fo @zich oher :md thusspan iw structurv :is a whole.

11. An nutmuobiie Eiop adapted to be Silo ported iii: @zich und and. c'ompiioiug' :i :Kerima of iongiudinniiy amending sabios. oioso howsfixed to Said cabins. z covering for bows :ami c:1bieS meow foi',hii0iiiig :iii of mid cables l'ogehi, :mii lsinc unimos ifo?iigh'roiing other oabios sopauziieiy.

Signed by us:i iis 39th day January, 191'?.

